Untold But Unforgotten
by TheHomemadeDarkmark
Summary: This is the story beginning at Taz's quincenera, following her through her time at the Academy, and more.
1. Chapter 1

"Gabriela? Gabriella, despertarse. I said wake up!" a young boy said, shaking his sister's shoulder.

"Cállate y vete," she mumbled into her pillow, which basically meant shut up and go away.

He sighed. "Gabriela Nilda Lopez, if you don't wake up right now mamá is going to kill you. What sort of girl sleeps in on the day of her quinceniara?" Gabriela groaned, reaching around behind her, smacking him in the head with surprising accuracy, seeing as her face was still buried in the pillow. He laughed. "Come on. Before mamá comete un asesinato. Which, to be honesto, isn't that far off in the future, unless you get up now."

She sighed and finally lifted her head out of the pillow. "Tacito, jou are a horrible hermano. Did jou know that?"

"Qué is that supposed to mean, huh, hermana menor?" he said, and then he began viciously tickling her sides.

She squealed. "Tacito Lopez! Get off of me right now! Parar!" she demanded between giggles. He was seventeen years old but she swore that sometimes he was so childish.

"Say please. "

"Por favor!" she yelled.

He smiled evilly. "I lied! I'll never stop!" She just kept laughing and making futile attempts to push him away.

"Gabriela! Tacito! Ven aquí! Come here! Right now!" came their mother's strict voice from downstairs. Tacito finally let his sister go and extended his hand to help her up.

"Gracias," she said, following him downstairs.

She was a petite little thing. She had a slim, short figure. She had long, waist-length black hair and a gorgeous, thin face. She was only five feet tall, which was not helped by the fact that she usually wore flats.

Tacito, on the other hand, was, while the same height, much more built. He was also much tougher, and was always having to come to his sister's aid.

"So, Gabriela, I picked up jour dress from the cleaners. Are jou ready for jour party tonight?" her mother, Adriana, said once she had sat down at the table. She set a small bowl of fruit in front of Gabriela, and a plate piled high with food in front of Tacito.

He wrinkled his nose. "How can jou eat so little?" he asked his sister.

"It's good for jou," she reasoned. "And yes, mama. I am."

"But eating more makes jou sano y fuerte. Don't you want to be healthy and strong, hermana menor?" He always called her hermana menor. It meant 'little sister', and Gabriela was little in more ways than one.

She rolled her eyes. "I will be healthy, Tacito. I have no need to be strong, not with joy around," she said with a smile, popping a strawberry in her mouth.

"Speaking of being strong, Tacito," thier mother began, "the Galactic League replied to jour letter."

He looked up immedietly. "Mama! Why didn't jou tell me sooner?!" he yelled. She handed him the letter off of the counter. He ripped it open and skimmed it. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Qué demonios..." he muttered. His mother smacked him on the head for his language.

"What's wrong?" Gabriela asked.

"'Dear Tacito Lopez,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been officially accepted into the Galactic League of Extraterrestrial Exploration's Starship Ranger Core. A Starship Ranger will be by tomorrow at five'o'clock pm to pick you up and escort you to the Academy for your official training.

Sincerly,

The G.L.E.E,'" he read aloud.

Gabriela tipped her head. "That's good isn't it? They accepted jou!"

He shook his head. "Si, but they didn't ask for an interview, or any information. They only know my name. They don't even know if I'm a boy or girl!" he explained.

His mother looked over at him. "I guess they just want to train jou all up so kou can all get out into the field. Besides, no girl has ever signed up for the combat area. Why should they start now? Not that I think they'd care either way." She looked back to the dishes she was washing and muttered quietly to herself. "Tienen que reemplazar todos los guerreros caídos, ya que la lista se alarga cada día." Gabriela's face went white.

"What was that, mama?" she asked.

"Nothing, Gabriela, novio," she said with a smile, running her fingers once through her daughter's hair. But Gabriela had heard what she said. 'They need to replace all the fallen warriors, since that list gets longer everyday.' Was her mother implying that they were just trying to fill in more soldiers to fill in the the dead ones? That they might as well start planning Tacito's funeral?

No, she told herself. Just no.


	2. Chapter 2

That night was perfect for an outdoor party. The moon hung brightly overhead, giving enough light that the lamps situated around the yard were practically unneccissary. Gabriela stood just inside the house, taking deep breaths. Her dress was dark red and her heels accented the gold beading. Her hair was loose around her back and her make-up was done so that it made her already gorgeous eyes stand out a beautiful, light brown. She peered out the doorway to see dozens of people. Friends and family alike, but she knew there were strangers lurking in the shadows. There were always at least two Rangers at large gatherings. They were always out of earshot, and sight, but they were always there.

Of course, they respected privacy. They didn't listen to a single word anyone said, unless it was a scream of, "Ah! Killer robots are attacking!" which was more common than you may think. They stayed in range just enough so that they could watch, but not hear, or be intrusive. They were courteous like that.

"Eres hermosa, Gabriela," her mother said. "Asombroso."

She blushed. "I'm not that beautiful. Or amazing. I have a bad feeling."

Her mother straightened her dress and smiled. "Everyone gets that feeling when they're going to be the center of attention. Don't worry." As much as she wanted to believe her mother, she couldn't help but feel that the twist in her stomach was something bigger than nerves. But she didn't have time to dwell on it as her mother pushed her lightly out the door, into the crowd of people.

After many greetings she finally got over to Tacito, who extended his hand. Traditionally, in her family, the first dance was between father and daughter, but since her father had died in the Robot War five years ago, Tacito was the stand in.

After a few minutes of dancing a few other dancers came out on the floor. It seemed like Gabriela danced with everyone before she had a chance to sit.

"Dios mío!" she panted, sitting next to her brother, who had been lounging around since their first dance ended. "My feet are killing me." She smiled slyly. "It's my birthday. Rub them," she demanded, pulling one foot out of it's shoe and setting it on Tacito's lap.

He put on a disgusted face. "I love you, hermana menor, but I'm not rubbing your feet," he said, grabbing her toe and lifting her foot up, only to drop it to the floor. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Tirón," she mumbled.

"Excuse me?" he said. He put his hand out to tickle her again, when their was a loud crash. Both of them stood up instantly, Gabriela lopsided, as she was still in only one shoe.

That's when the screams began.

Gabriela now realized what the feeling in her stomach was. She had had a feeling all day and now here was the reason. Robots, flooding her party, slashing down guests, tearing apart decorations.

She turned to her brother, who looked at her. His eyes widened and he lunged forward, but not fast enough. She was grabbed from behind. She screamed. Tacito ran at her and her metal captor, but the robot was already ten feet away. Twenty. Thirty.

"Help me! Help me!" she wailed. But then her brother was lost in a sea of chaos. She cried and screamed and struggled, but it was useless.

She was going to die, and she knew it.

Lieutenant Up ran down as soon as he heard the first scream. The others ran down with him. He ran in and began shooting every robot he saw. But there were only three Rangers there, him and two Privates. Then, above every other scream, he heard it.

"Help me! Help me!" He looked up and saw her. A teenage girl in a red dress, being dragged away by a robot. Everyone else was to busy fighting or being killed to come to her aid.

He didn't know why he did it. It was stupid, and was probably the reason for the outcome of that night. But he couldn't help himself. A little voice kept nudging him in his head. "Help her, Up," it whispered. "Help her." And so he shot a clear path through the middle of the fray, and ran across to the other end of the yard.

They had disappeared into the woods behind the house, but it was easy to follow her screams. When he finally caught up to them he saw a sight that made him want to puke.

The cries of "Sálvame! Sálvame!" had morphed into agonized whimpers and screams, and now Up could see why.

The girl was tied to a tree, hanging several feet in the air. The robots had taken out long, metal rods and repeatedly hit her with them. Up nearly puked as he realized what was happening. They were using her as a piniata, busting her open so they could have what was inside.

Up let out a huge war cry, then ran in, shooting the robots until they were nothing more than bits and pieces scattered around. He stood under the girl and shot the rope above her, causing her to land right in his arms. He ran back to the house. As he got closer he realized how quiet it was. The battle was over, and he had a pretty good idea who had won.

He stepped into the yard and tried not to look too closely at the well-dressed bodies. He stepped inside the house, did a quick scan for any robots left there, and then set the girl down on the couch.

He clicked his watch. "Lieutenant Up, calling to report a robot attack. A large party with only three Rangers and as far as I currently know one teenage girl and I are the only survivors. Please send help immediately." He clicked it again. He knew that, despite their technology, help wouldn't be there until tomorrow afternoon. He sat on the armchair, keeping watch for more robots and waiting for the girl to wake up.

-13 Hours Later-

Up dozed lightly. It was ten'o'clock in the morning, the girl hadn't yet woken up, and he was waiting for help still.

"Tácito, mamá, no me dejes. Por favor, no me dejes. Te necesito. Por favor," the girl mumbled. Up looked over to see tears streaming down her face. She looked so... broken. Physically and emotionally. He wished he could help, but he didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, her eyes flew open. She didn't move, but she eyed him warily.

"Quién es usted?" she said, clearly nervous.

Up didn't know how to respond. "Um, I'm sorry. I don't speak Spanish. Do you speak English?" he asked.

She nodded, just barely. "Si. Who are jou?"

"Lieutenant Up. And you are?"

Gabriela had passed out as she fell, just before she landed in her savior's arms. When she opened her eyes she was in a white room. Before her she saw her mother and brother.

"Gracias a Dios!" she cried in relief. They were OK!

They didn't respond. They just continued what they were doing. Her mother was washing dishes, her brother eating breakfast. Niether gave any notice that suggested they knew she was there.

Then all of a sudden, they began to fade away. "Tácito, mamá, no me dejes! Por favor, no me dejes! Te necesito! Por favor!" she begged, tears streaming down her face.

She was alone. All alone.

Gabriela's eyes snapped open. She hurt so much. She looked around, and saw she was in her living room. She saw a strange man in the armchair near the couch. Tacito's favorite chair. She felt a pang in her heart. If Tacito and her mom were OK, they'd be by her as well. She knew immediately that they hadn't made it. They had left her, just like in her dream.

But she put on a brave face, just as her brother would've done. "Quién es usted?" she asked the man.

He blushed suddenly. "Um, I'm sorry. I don't speak Spanish. Do you speak English?" he asked.

She nodded, but stopped immediately, as the movement shot pains through her body. "Si. Who are jou?" she translated. She realized her voice was huskier, her accent more pronounced. She guessed that tragedy could do that to you.

"Lieutenant Up. And you are?"

Alone. Helpless. Broken. All of these words raced through her mind. But then she saw Tacito's letter on the table. His words from earlier raced through her mind. _"They only know my name. They don't even know if I'm a boy or a girl!" _Tacito would be unable to join the Rangers now, and she knew that he had wanted that more than anything. It took her only a second to make this decision.

"I am Tacito Lopez. But you can call me Taz."


	3. Chapter 3

Taz stood up slowly. She was relieved to feel that she had no broken bones beyond a dislocated shoulder, which she asked Up to pop back into place.

He hesitated. "You sure? It's gonna be really painful."

She smiled. "Pain is part of life, Teniente." She held her arm out. "Now pop it."

Up grabbed her arm and pushed on it swiftly. Taz bit her tongue, but refused to scream. She had to seem tough. She would become the más duro hijo de puta there was. And she knew she had to work for that, because becoming a tough son a bitch didn't happen overnight. "Gracias," she said, looking into his eyes after he finished. They were so blue... Up held her hand a moment longer than neccessary, before letting it fall.

"No problem. You, uh, wanna get changed before the team arrives? They'll probably want to fix you up and take somewhere to stay," Up suggested.

She shook her head. "I'll get changed, but I don't need a place to stay." She handed him the letter. He read it, eyebrows raised.

"A Ranger, huh? You sure? It ain't no cakewalk," he warned. She just smiled and went upstairs.

Taz was going to go to her room, but stopped, just outside her brothers. She stepped inside.

Tacito's room had always been a mess, but Taz knew that what she was looking for was in the same place it had always been. She opened his closet and grabbed the box.

It was her father's uniforms. Taz knew her brother had wanted to wear them, but now he never would. But she could. So, she pulled out one set and began changing. She pulled on the camoflauge pants, and added a belt so that they wouldn't fall, as they were much to big. She pulled out a tank-top and put it on, and added another, since the fabric was so thin. She grabbed a bandana and stepped into the bathroom that joined her brother's room with hers.

She went to tie the bandana around her head, but hesitated. She grabbed some scissors out of the cabinet and went to work cutting her hair. Taz's beautiful, black, waist-length locks fell to the floor. When she was done her hair stuck up on her head in a mohawk, but she had left two shoulder-length strands to the side, a reminder of who she once was. She tied the bandana on her head and looked in the mirror.

No one looking at her would think that this was Gabriela Lopez, petite, defenseless Gabriela, with her sparkling brown eyes and flowing hair. No one would ever guess that this was the girl who would let out a flirty giggle every time an attractive boy had talked to her, which was quite often. But Gabriela had died. She had faded away in the dream, with her mother and brother. The girl who woke up next to Up had been someone else completely.

Up had sent her to change, but he had no idea that she already had. Twenty-four hours ago her brother had been tickling her to get out of bed for the big, girly quinceniera she had so been looking forward to. Now she looked at the poofy dress on her brother's floor and felt disgust, she thought of all of the petty things in her life before and scoffed at herself. Now she just wanted revenge. For her family and friends, for her old life.

But Taz didn't regret her change in lifestyle. She was stronger, and would escalate until she couldn't get any tougher. She grabbed her father's dogtags and threw them over her head so they settled around her neck. She pulled on the combat boots, strapped on her father's knife belt, and grabbed the box with the other sets of uniforms. On her way out she saw a picture on her brother's nightstand.

Taz pulled it out and read the back. "_Tacito and Gabriela, 16 and 14"_ it read. She wanted to cry, but fought the tears back. She shoved it in her pocket and went downstairs.

Up waited for Taz to return. He had to admit, she was one tough son of a bitch. Not many people could walk away from a tragedy like that and act like her. His watch beeped. A message from the Galactic League. He clicked it.

"Lieutenant Up. This is Commander Johnson. I will be arriving shortly with another member of the Galactic League. We will assist in the cleanup of the residence and we will escort you and the girl to the nearest base. Be ready for us in ten minutes."

Up sighed. Everything with them was formal. No "Hey, by the way, are you OK?" or anything like that.

Just then, Taz came downstairs. Up looked at her, then did a double take.

He had sent up a lonely little girl in a frilly red dress and pretty, long hair. What he got back was a strong, badass chick in a non-standardized Ranger uniform with her hair cut into a mohawk.

And, oh Dead-God, she was beautiful.

Wait, what?

No! Up scolded himself. She's a fifteen-year-old girl. He mentally slapped himself, then stood up.

"Two other Ranger's will be here soon. They're gonna take us to a base after they, um, clean up," he said, hesitantly. He didn't want to hurt her. But she just nodded.

"OK, Teniente," she said, not giving any sign that showed she felt anything about the previous night.

Up thought for a second. "What does Teniente mean?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Taz looked at him, the corner's of her mouth turning up slightly. "Lieutenant."

Oh, duh.

The Starship Rangers arrived a few minutes later. They stepped inside.

The first, a large man with battle scars and a buzz cut, held out his hand to Taz. "Hello. I'm Commander Johnson. This over here is Privet Krayonder. And you are?"

"Tacito Lopez. But jou can, and will, call me Taz," she replied, ignoring his outstretched hand. Krayonder looked at her like she was insane, obviously scared for her now. But after a moment of surprise, Johnson just laughed.

"Alright, Taz. You know, I like you." He thought for a moment. "Tacito... are you the kid we're supposed to be taking to the Academy?" he asked. She nodded and handed him the letter. Johnson cleared his throat. "I was under the impression we were recruiting a boy... you do know that you'll be the only girl in the official combat classes, right, Taz? All the other girls join the science and technology classes, you know, things like that. Usually combat classes for them are just a safety course."

She nodded. "I know. But I can handle it."

Johnson thought again, looking Taz up and down, seeming to notice her uniform, and connecting the previous wearer. "Lopez... Are you Inigo Lopez's daughter?"

"Jes."

"And how old are you."

"I just turned fifteen yesterday."

His eyebrows shot up. "Fifteen?! You're gonna be the youngest person to ever attend the Academy. But I think you can handle it. You're father was a good soldier."

Taz nodded her head in appreciation. "Thank jou."

"Speaking of your father, I thought he said he had a son and a daughter. One was Tacito, but one was Gabriela. I don't think you had a brother named Gabriela, did you?" Johnson asked, suddenly clearly suspicious.

Taz thought fast. "My brother's name was Gabriel. My father always was weird, he put an 'a' at the end of my brother's name for no apparent reason. He even wrote it like that." She wanted an excuse in case the picture was ever found.

Johnson looked skeptical, but nodded. "Alright. Lieutenant, escort Taz here to the ship. Private Krayonder and I are going to do a bit of," he glanced at Taz, "damage control." He left and Krayonder followed him, a disgusted look on his face and the though of what he'd have to be doing.

Up looked at Taz. "Close your eyes."

"I can handle it."

"Taz," he said, "if you wanna be a Ranger, you need to learn to follow your superiors orders. Now close. Your. Dead. God. Damn. Eyes."

She sighed and did as she was told. He began walking her outside and he led her towards the small pod to take them to the base. About halfway there her foot hit something, nearly tripping her, and on instinct her eyes flew open.

She wanted to puke. She froze and looked at the dark-haired boy at her feet, brown eyes staring up at her, without seeing. Up tried to make her move, but she pulled her arm away and crouched down next to her brother. "Descansa en paz, hermano," she whispered, telling her brother to rest in peace and closing his eyes. She looked around and saw her mother a few feet away. She went over and did the same thing. "Descansa en paz, madre."

She then stood and walked back over to Up. "Let's go."

"Taz-"

"I said let's **go**!" she said, glaring at him. They walked the rest of the way to the pod, Taz looking forward the whole way, not letting herself look at all the people who died just because they decided to come to her party. Not letting herself think of the gaping hole in her brother's chest, or the head wounds she'd seen on him and her mother.

They settled into the pod. Krayonder and Johnson returned a few minutes later, and Taz knew that all of the bodies were in a morgue on the small ship, and their families would be informed once they arrived. It was funny, in a sick way. Her brother had always wanted to ride in a Ranger pod. He just never imagined riding on a shelf in the morgue.

"Ready?" Up asked her. She nodded.

"Jes."


	4. Chapter 4

When they arrived at the Academy, Taz was in awe, though she didn't show it. It was a huge building with gray marble walls and huge oak doors. Having lived in a small Mexican town where the biggest and fanciest building was the brick church, this was amazing.

"Lieutenant? Would you mind giving our new recruit here a tour?" Johnson asked. "Private, I'd like you to prepare Taz a bed in room 203." Krayonder seemed happy about this. "And leave those girls alone!" And there went his hope. Taz smiled slightly. Up and Krayonder saluted him (though the latter a bit reluctantly) and he left, Krayonder right behind him.

Up pulled out the schedule Johnson had printed up for Taz in the pod. "Alright. You have P.E., History, Calculus, Science, Lunch, then the rest of your day is combat training. Combat and P.E. are both held in the gym, so I'll show you there first."

Taz followed him around as he showed her all the rooms. She pointedly ignored the stares up until one point, when Up went to the bathroom and she was waiting for him to return. A boy came up to her.

"Hey, chicka. Wassup?" he said. She rolled her eyes. She had enough experience with guys hitting on her. Before she would've felt bad turning them down, but now she just didn't care.

She smiled. "Not much. I just have this really annoying tirón hitting on me and I really want to punch him in the face."

His grin just widened. "You don't mean that," he said. Boy, was he muy chulo.

"Actually, I think she does." The boy spun around to see Up right behind him.

"Lieutenant!" he yelped. Taz let out a snort of laughter at the high pitch of his voice.

Up stood tall, none of the kindness he'd shown Taz anywhere on his face. "I suggest you move along."

Another guy grabbed his arm. "Come on, Matt. Let's go." They both left, whispering and glancing over their shoulders. Taz glared at Up.

"I had it under control."

"That's not what it looked like to me."

She got in his face. "I can fight my own battles." She began walking down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Up called after her.

She didn't turn around. "My room."

"Taz?" Up said, the smile plain in his voice. "203 is this way." She turned around and kept walking as if she hadn't changed any part of her dramatic exit.

That night, Taz was ready to violently murder someone. The other girl's in her room were so annoying.

There was February first. She was nice enough, but tonto como la suciedad. Dumb as dirt. And she wouldn't stop gossiping. She was working to be a science officer, along with the other girl, Marie, who, while still as much of a gossiper as February, at least had some brains in her head.

The other girl in her room was Specs. She was a dorky girl with thick glasses and she was currently aiming to work in the technology department of the Rangers. She, like Taz, clearly wished the other two would shut up. Of course, Specs was too nice to say anything. Taz, on the other hand, had no such qualms.

"Oh mi Dios muerto! Do you two ever shut your stupid faces?!" she burst out, exasperatedly. The other two stopped and stared in her direction in shock, Specs along with them. Taz laid her head back down, relieved they were finally quiet. She easily fell asleep.

_"Help me! Help me!" Taz cried. "Sálvame_!" _The robot dragged her into the woods, and she just kept screaming. "Sálvame_!" _She was tied up. They pulled out their rods and beat her. There was a battle cry and Up came running towards them, zapper at the ready, but the robots were faster. One shot him down easily, and Taz cried out. "No!" The robots turned back to her. One came forward and pulled back the rod. It was aimed straight for her skull, she was going to die. The robot swung._

Taz woke up with a gasp. A quick look at the clock told her it was two in the morning. The other girls were still asleep. Still panting, Taz stood up and walked out the door.

She didn't know how she knew where it was, maybe it was pure instinct, but somehow she ended up outside a door with a plaque that read "Lieutenant Up." She hesitated before knocking.

After a few seconds she decided it was stupid and went to go back. He was probably asleep and didn't want to be disturbed. But just as she went to leave the door creaked open. "Taz?" She looked around to see Up standing there. He looked like he had been in the middle of a yawn, but he sobered up when he saw her. "Is everything OK?"

"I-I don't know, Up. Can I come in?" After a moment's hesitation he stepped back, letting her through.

"What happened?" he asked, and Taz told him about her nightmare, then did the thing she'd been trying to avoid since that morning. She cried. He put his arm awkwardly around her shoulder. "It's OK," he said. "You're OK. I'm OK." Up kept repeating those words until she cried herself out. She rubbed her eyes.

"Thanks, Teniente," Taz sniffed.

Up smiled. "No problem. You wanna go back to your room?" She shook her head. "Er, you wanna watch a movie?" She nodded. He stood up and looked through his collection of DVD's. "Hm. You ever seen this?" he asked, holding up a case.

"The Karate Kid? No."

"Well, its one of my favorites. It's got Jackie Chan in it!"

When the movie was over it was well past four am. Up looked over and saw Taz sleeping peacefully next to him, head on his shoulder. He smiled. He didn't want to wake her, so he set her down carefully on the couch and then climbed into his bed. He looked at her again and smiled. She was going to make things interesting. He just knew it.


	5. Chapter 5

It had been six months since that eventful day, and a lot had changed. For one thing, Taz had gained a reputation. She was the toughest of all the students, and even most instructors. In combat class, no one wanted to go against her because they knew who would come out victorious.

For another thing, she had grown a lot closer to Up. They sat together at lunch and she went over nearly every night to hang out and watch a movie. Usually 'The Karate Kid' as that was their favorite. The one thing Taz was afraid of, though, is the way she was beginning to feel when she was around him. The way she began worrying about how she looked when she went over, the way she'd almost lose herself in his blue eyes...

She was also a bit closer to Specs, when Up was busy, but Taz really thought that, while nice, Specs was a bit boring and annoying.

Now Taz was on her way over to Up's room, a box in her hand. She knocked on his door and it immediately flew open. "Hey, Taz!" Up said.

"Hey, _Commander_," she said. She had just heard he had been upgraded. He grinned.

"Yeah, well, you can't call me Teniente anymore, can you?" he chuckled.

She sighed, looking honestly disappointed. "No. Now jou are Comandante," she laughed.

Up sighed. "Of course." He looked at the box. "What's that?"

"A little congratulations for jou," she said with a smile, holding it out.

"You didn't have to-"

"Oh mi Dios muerto, just take it!"

Up smiled. "Alright! Alright!" He grabbed it and opened it. He laughed when he saw what it was. "Comandate Up," he read off the door plate she'd gotten him. "You know, I think they provide this for me, right?"

Taz shrugged. "Jes. But this one is personalized," she said with a smile.

"Thank you," Up said, leaning over and hugging her. He was the only person Taz would allow to hug her. Anyone else would get stabbed.

"So," Taz said, kicking the ground a bit. "I hear you're looking for a personal Lieutenant."

He nodded. "Yup."

"Got anyone particular in mind?"

Up sighed. "Taz. You know I'd love to make you my Lieutenant, but you've got to graduate first."

She looked at him with pleading eyes. "But I'm so close, Up! I am top in all of my classes but one! I just need to pass a Calculus exam and I can apply to graduate early!" she cried. He was the only person she'd ever whine to. Everyone else just thought she sucked it up and dealt with it.

After a moment of consideration Up grabbed a pad of paper and sat on the couch. "What are jou doing?" Taz asked suspiciously.

"Come sit down. I'm gonna teach you Calculus." Taz's eyes lit up. Then dimmed again.

She snorted. "Buena suerte with that."

"I don't need luck. I need you to come over here and sit down." She rolled her eyes and did as she was told.

Two hours later Taz was able to do problems without too big of a headache. "Thank jou, Up!" she said, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly.

"Can't-breathe!" Up gasped, laughing. Taz let go and hit him over the back of the head.

"I'm going to go and ask my Calculus teacher if I can retake the midterm. I'll see jou later, Comandante," she said. "And thank jou, again." With that she pecked him on the cheek and ran out the door, too elated to realize what she'd done.

Up laughed slightly when she ran off. Taz was just so... Bubbly. He wished she was willing to show that side of the her to the world, but knew why she couldn't. She had a reputation to uphold, and reputation equals respect. He was the same way.

He touched his cheek where she'd kissed him. He knew that it was just her excitement, but still his skin burned. He had realized it within the first few weeks she was there. He had learned the reason why he was willing to leave dozens of party guests and two of his fellow Rangers to the robots to save her.

Up loved her.

There was no getting around it. Taz was closer to him than anyone else ever had been. Her smile, her laugh, her eyes, her voice... it was all beautiful and amazing. But Up knew that if he brought up any of this then she'd probably punch him, and their friendship wouldn't ever be the same. He couldn't risk that. It was going to kill him, but he had to keep this to himself.

He loved her too much to love her.

(AN: so, short chapter, but I thought that that would be a really sweet line to end on. BTW, does anyone have any idea when AVPSY is coming on Youtube?

Comment, vote, fan, learn calculus)


	6. Chapter 6

Taz twitched in her sleep. Up had a meeting with Dr. Spaceclaw, head of the Galactic League, and was getting the formal promotion to Commander, so this was one of the few times she had to sleep on her own, in her own room, and, as always, she had nightmares. Or, _the_ nightmare. The same nightmare she always had when she wasn't with Up. The quincenira nightmare.

Her eyes flew open to see a pair of baby blue eyes staring down at her. She did the only sensible thing: shot out her hand and slugged whoever it was in the gut.

Taz sat up in her bed to see a mass of blonde hair and perfectly manicured nails groaning and clutching her stomach.

"What the hell, Taz!" Marie whined, sitting up. "Why'd you punch me?"

"Why'd jou hover over my bed like that, idiota?" Taz snapped, stretching and standing up. When she realized Taz wasn't going to help Marie, February hurried over and helped her onto the bed.

Marie took a deep breath and glared at Taz. "I just was waiting for you to wake up to see if its true."

"If what was true?" What rumors had the idiotas at this school been spreading around this time?

"That you're gonna graduate tonight and run off with Commander Up," February said, clearly eager for confirmation.

Taz rolled her eyes. "We aren't 'running off,' I'm going to be his Lieutenant. And that's only if-" she stopped, shirt halfway on. "Oh mi Dios muerto!" she gasped.

"What's wrong?" Specs asked. Taz was running around, quickly pulling on clothes, messily brushing out her mohawk, and tying her bandana on lopsided.

"The Calculus test! That's the deciding factor! If I passed then I can graduate! Este increíble. Con la ayuda de Up no hay manera de que fallé. Finalmente voy a ser un Ranger Starship oficial! Y no sólo eso, sino que voy a ser teniente de Up! Oh mi Dios muerto!" Taz began talking so fast she didn't realized she'd morphed into Spanish. What she'd actually said was "This amazing. With Up's help there's no way I failed. I'm finally going to be an official Starship Ranger! And not only that, but I'll be Up's Lieutenant! Oh my dead God!"

"What?" February said, not following the rapid foriegn language.

Specs sighed. "Leave her be for now. She's just excited." Over the months she'd become braver around the girls. All three of them watched Taz, none of them ever having seen this happy, bubbly side of their roommate before.

Taz ran out the door, still rapidly mumbling to herself in Spanish. "Mírame, Taz López, para ser la primera mujer en graduarse de la Academia de Entrenamiento para el combate y la persona más joven en graduarse de la Academia en general. Y pensar que hace un año, mis únicas preocupaciones eran lo que pondría a la escuela al día siguiente." As the last word left her mouth she was outside the Calculus room, and a million worries hit her. What if she didn't pass? What if Up changed his mind and chose a different Lieutenant? What if she had failed another class.

She shook her head, as if to dispel all of these thoughts. "I will graduate and be Up's Lieutenant before the night is out," she whispered to herself before pushing open the door.

"Up! Up!" came a yell from down the hall. Familiar voice, unfamiliar tone. She must be really excited to show this much positive emotion in public. Up smiled and continued eating his breakfast, waiting for her to arrive and glad that there were only a few other Rangers and teachers in the cafeteria, seeing as most students were lazy to get up. She didn't need to be subject to any more rumors.

Taz came sliding in the room, nearly knocking over the Chemistry professor. "Lo siento, señor!" she yelled, in too much of a hurry to check that she was speaking in English, or to even yell at him that he should've gotten out of her way.

She skidded to a halt next to him. "Pasé! Pasé! Puedo graduarme y ser su teniente de la medianoche! ¿Estás emocionado? Estoy emocionada! Oh mi Dios muerto, esto es tan increíble! ¿Cierto?!"

Up chuckled. "Slow down, Taz. No hablar español," he teased. "No speak Spanish" was one of the few phrases he had learned, and it was what he had always used to calm her down when she spoke fast Spanish that he didn't know.

"Lo sentimos, la traducción rápida," she said. It was what she always said after she realized she wasn't speaking English. It meant 'Sorry, quick translation.' Taz cleared her throat. "I passed! I passed! I can graduate and be jour Lieutenant by midnight! Are jou excited? I'm excited! Oh mi Dios muerto, this is so amazing! Right?!" she translated herself smoothly, in the exact same tone as before.

Up couldn't help but smile. Even when translating she still said phrases in Spanish, like "Oh mi Dios muerto!" instead of switching it to "Oh my dead God!" But everyone was used to it. Actually, it might seem completely off if she began switching that phrase to English, or ones like "idiota" and "tiron."

"That's great, Taz! Come on, let's head down to the main offices. They'll handle your graduation. It'll be quick and easy, probably just a few words and a diploma, maybe a few awards for your achievements while you were still a student. Let's go," he said, ditching his tray and walking towards the door. About halfway to the offices she grabbed his hand and began swinging their arms, so high they were almost level with their shoulders.

Up was as elated as her, if not more. Now that the Academy wouldn't be in the way, and they'd be on all missions together, plus the fact that the hung out together every spare moment, they'd be practically inseperable from now on. He looked down at Taz. He loved her smile, and wished he could see it more often, though he already saw it more than anyone alive probably ever had. Even her family, as he was the first person Taz had opened up to. She said so herself. She must have had a hard fifteen years, not letting anyone in on her life. He wondered how her family got her into that dress...

The ceremony was quite dull, actually. The Headmaster of the Academy droned on and on, as if he were graduating a whole class. About twenty minutes into his speech a screen beeped.

"Urgent Message. Urgent Message. Dr. Spaceclaw Calling. Urgent Message," it read on the screen, a robotic (Taz shivered) voice saying them loudly over the intercom. The Headmaster paled and clicked a button on the pad in front of the screen.

Taz had never seen Spaceclaw before. She hadn't known what to expect. She blinked, honestly surprised. He was just a normal guy! She had actually subconciously been picturing Darth Vader from that Star Wars movie her and Up watched. She peeked at Up, but he was just standing at attention in front of the Head of the Galactic League. She mentally strangled herself then followed his example.

Spaceclaw had light brown hair and brown eyes. He had a tanned face, as though he enjoyed time in the sun. He was built and muscular. To be honest, he was pretty good-looking.

"Hello, Commander Up, Headmaster Charon, Miss Lopez," he said, nodding to us, trying to seem formal, but failing as a smile tugged his lips. Hearing that formal voice with this laid-back man was almost comical, but the realization that she was still 'Miss Lopez,' and that she didn't have a title yet held back her laugh.

"Dr. Spaceclaw. To what do we owe the pleasure of this call?" the Headmaster said, respectfully.

Spaceclaw smiled. "Can't a man call to congradulate the youngest Lieutenant to ever graduate in the Academy's history?"

The Headmaster blinked. "Oh. O-Of course, sir. Miss Lopez," he stuttered, gesturing to the screen.

"Idiota," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that, Lieutenant?" Spaceclaw asked, clearly amused. Taz looked up at the screen.

She spoke fearlessly. "I called him an idiota, sir. Because, jou see, I can hear perfectly well, and I know where the screen is. I don't need him pointing me in the right direction."

There was a moment of silence, then Spaceclaw bust out laughing. "I'm going to like you-"

"Taz," she said, cutting him off.

"Taz. Right, Lieutenant Taz. That has a nice ring to it," he said, thinking in his own little world.

Up cleared his throat. "She hasn't officially been made my Lieutenant yet, sir. She hasn't even officially graduated."

Spaceclaw rolled his eyes. "Just give her the diploma! And the ceremony is just a formality. We need her by your side ASAP so you two can start planning."

"Planning what?" Taz asked sharply.

Spaceclaw looked startled. "Didn't I tell you? You two are going to lead a group into battle in three days time. You'll be downing some robots. If you succeed we'll be one final battle away from winning the war!"

Taz and Up exchanged a glance before nodding. They were needed, and weren't going to back down.


	7. Chapter 7

Taz sat in her room, sharpening her knives. More months had passed since they had gone on their mission, and still no one had assigned a mission to finish the war. She looked up at a knock.

She stood and walked over to open it. "Feliz cumpleaños!" Up said in a horrible Spanish accent that made her giggle. She then stopped, comprehending what he had said.

"It is my birthday?" she asked.

"Well, of course, Taz! You're sixteen today!" Up said, still smiling.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "How did jou know it was today?"

He rolled his eyes. "I was at your birthday last year! Remember, when I saved-" He finally realized what she was getting at. "Oh. Taz, I'm sorry, I didn't even think-"

"It's fine, Up," she said, turning away and busying herself by putting up her knives.

"So, um, I guess you don't want cake?"

She spun around to see him smiling slightly and innocently, though there was a glint in his eyes. "Oh mi Dios muerto! You could have started with that, jou idiota!" she yelled. She shoved him out. "Bring me to the cake!"

"Ya know, I'm the Commander, I'm supposed to be the one ordering you around," he grumbled, but he stopped when he saw Taz's glare. You didn't mess with Taz and her cake.

They finally arrived back at Up's room. "So are we singing or-" but Taz shoved past him and sat down, cutting two pieces and putting them on plates, popping a bite into her mouth. "Well OK then," he said with a smile.

About halfway through their second pieces of cake, there was a knock at Up's door. "Come on in!" he called.

A woman walked in. "Oh, good, you're both here. Commander, Lieutenant, Dr. Spaceclaw would like to speak with you in the administration offices." They both stood up, Taz quickly stuffing her cake in her mouth, which caused Up to laugh. She was really cute sometimes, though she'd punch him if he said so.

In the office Spaceclaw smiled at Taz and Up. "Commander Up. Lieutenant Taz. Good to see you again."

"You too, sir," Up said.

"What do jou want?" Taz snapped. Up held back a smile, knowing her mind was still on the fluffy chocolate cake in his room.

Spaceclaw just kept smiling. "The final battle." This got even Taz's attention. "Tonight."

"Tonight?!" Taz said, eyes wide. "But how are we supposed to plan and-"

"It's all planned. We've got you a crew and a battle plan. You are to go an capture their last supply of Fayzon. Then the war is ours. Got it?" They both nodded. "Good. Now go meet your crew outside. Give them all orders and such. You two have been to the meetings, you know the land like the back of your hands, and where most of their hideouts are. You can do this. Good-bye." And the screen went black.

Up looked at Taz. The final battle. On the anniversary of her dreadful quinceniera. He wondered what she felt beneath her tough facade. Even he couldn't read her at the moment. Was she angry? Scared? Or did she, like him, find a poetic justice in this, that she can finish their non-living lives like they'd finished her family's?

They were approaching the battle site. Taz looked out the window, zapper over her shoulder, knife in her belt. She tightened her bandana and turned to where their crew was standing. "Alright people!" she shouted. "Listen! Commander Up has a few words for jou!" She nodded at her friend.

"Alright, boys." Taz glared. "And girls. This is it. The final battle. If you fail us now, you fail everyone permanantly. You all know where your going, so you better go there." Taz held back a smile. She knew what was coming, it came every time. She decided to jump in.

"And if they don't put everything on the line, Up?" she said.

He looked at her with a slight, wicked grin. "Well, let's just put it this way. If you don't go out there, and die for something, I will kill you for nothing." The ship landed. "Now go!"

The soldiers ran out the second the doors opened and they went off to their respective assignments.

"Jou ready, Up?" Taz asked, right inside the ship, just before they stepped out.

He smiled at her. "Let's go kill some robots, Taz." And with that they ran down.

Their plan was to slip through the center of the area, while their crew kept the robots busy on the outer edges. But, of course, there were going to be a few robots on the inside still.

This was proven when they were suddenly surrounded about a mile from their ship. About thirty robots, all out for their blood. They both rolled their eyes. Too easy.

Without speaking a word they both ran straight forward, shooting a path through the robots. As soon as they were ahead Taz shot up and hit a large rock above them, which fell, instantly crushing what robots were left.

"Nice," Up said, not stopping. Taz nodded, then suddenly she was on the ground. Up stopped and ran back to her. "Taz?"

"Oh mi Dios muerto!" Taz said. "I run around murdering robots, but I get stopped by a damned twisted ankle!" She looked at Up. "Jou're going to have to continue without me. I'm not going to be able to walk." She hated this. She wanted to go and battle with him, but it would be impossible with this foot.

But Up didn't leave. He pulled a first aid kit out of his pack and swiftly patched her up. Then he scooped her up and slung her over his back.

"What are jou doing?" she asked.

He began walking again. "Not leaving you behind."


	8. Chapter 8

With Up running to their destination and Taz shooting every metal thing in sight, they seemed unstoppable. Finally, they were there. "I've gotta put you down, Taz. You gonna be OK?" Up said.

She rolled her eyes. "Up, think of who jou're talking to. I'll be fine. Just go!" Up set her down and she continued shooting setinals. Up ran towards the supply, glancing over his shoulder often to check on her. He blasted five setinals in one shot.

"Nice one, Up!" she called. He kept running.

"Nice one, Up!"

"Gabriela," came a voice from behind her. She spun around as fast as she could while still on the ground.

She blinked. No. It was impossible. They were gone. She had been at their funerals. They were never coming back.

But then, how were her mother and brother standing before her?

Taz examined them closer. Their skin was too shiny, their features to symmetrical. She remembered that Tacito's right eye had been distinctly large than his left. He had been self concious about it and she'd made many lopsided jokes over the years.

This wasn't her family.

"Jou are robots," she whispered.

The one that looked like her mother smiled. Oh, how she missed that smile. "No, Gabriela. We are jour family." They even sounded like the real thing.

She shook her head. "No."

Tac- or, the Tacito Robot looked at her, smiling his goofy grin. Taz wanted to cry. "Vamos, hermana menor. We'll go home. Come with us, please."

The other robot suddenly began singing, causing Taz to freeze. "He estado solo, rodeado por la oscuridad. He visto cómo cruel puede ser el mundo." It was a song that her mother used to sing to her and Tacito at night. She had found it and translated it to Spanish. No one knew about that except her, her brother, and her parents.

That's when the pieces clicked. A picture flashed to her mind of when she closed their eyes the day after their deaths. The large, gaping head wounds that she hadn't examined to closely.

They had taken their brains. Not their emotions, but thier memories. She didn't know how, but knew it was true. That crossed the line. She aimed her zapper at them.

Her mother just kept singing. "Te he visto llorar, pero nada es imposible. Yo siempre haré lo mejor para hacerte ver."

Tacito looked in her eyes, and she saw the pale glint when the sun hit him. "Gabriela. Don't do this. We're jour family."

Taz looked right in his eyes. "My family is dead. Thier minds should have died with them. Now they will. And my name," she said, finger on the trigger, "is Taz." She robot fell.

Stopping her singing her mother took one step closer. "Too late, hija," she whispered, before Taz shot her down.

She wanted to break down crying. She wanted to scream her sorrows to the sky. Right then, more than anything, she wanted to die.

Suddenly, she was grabbed. Cold metal wrapped around her waist. Her zapper fell from her grip as she panicked. Her mind flashed. Memories flooded her.

She was being pulled away.

She was crying for Tacito to save her.

She was going to die.

Yes. She was going to die. Because, right in this moment, with the robots' arms tight around her, she was as helpless as she had been the year before. Tears streamed for her eyes as she prepared to die.

Up was almost there. Oh, so close.

"Help me! Help me!"

The cry was no different than it had been a year previously. He spun around and saw her, clasped tightly in the arms of several robots. She clearly didn't know she'd cried out. She wouldn't have done that, she would have wanted him to focus only on the task at hand.

But right then he didn't care. He didn't care that he was putting the entire world at risk. He didn't care that he might lose his status as Commander. He just didn't care.

He had to save Taz. He began running, as fast as he could, completely forgetting the threat behind him.

_Taz._ He thought, her name running repeatedly through his head. He had to get to her, had to save her. _Taz. Taz. Taz._

That's when he himself was grabbed from behind. He struggled as he was lifted into the air. He looked down again at Taz, who stopped her own struggle and looked up at him, meeting his eyes. He turned away.

Up looked and saw Optimus Prime standing before him. He struggled, but to no avail. Prime's chest opened. Up closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and whispered four words, "Taz, I love you."

There was a searing pain, and the last thing he heard before blacking out was her voice. Her amazing, sweet voice, that even sounded beautiful while letting out an ear-piercing, heart-shattering scream.


	9. Chapter 9

Taz saw the glint of metal as the saw shot out of Optimus Prime's chest. She screamed loudly, and was pretty sure a few robots exploded just from the force of that scream. She watched as he was sliced, as the blood poured. The robots dropped the two halves of his body, and Up hit the ground with two loud thuds.

Taz felt a renewed energy overcome her. She screamed again, this time in defiance, anger, and pure pain. She tore apart the robots holding her and grabbed her zapper from the ground. She rampaged on, kicking, screaming shooting, unaware of anything but exploding metal and the sharp pain in her chest, like a knife in the heart.

Finally, she looked around for more robots and realized, there were none. She had just defeated them. She had won the Robot War.

But, right then, Taz didn't care. She ran over to where she saw one half of Up's body. She didn't know where the other half was. This was the larger half. It went from his left foot, to his thigh, to his right shoulder. Tears streamed down her face as Taz put her head down on his bloody chest.

_Thump thump. Thump thump._

What the hell?

_Thump thump._

Was that what she thought it was?

_Thump thump._

"Oh mi Dios muerto!" she cried. It was his heartbeat. She lifted her head up and now realized the barely-there rising and falling of his chest.

"Up?" she said. "Up, can jou hear me? Stay with me, Up!" Taz hit the distress button on her watch. "Help will be here soon, Up. Jou'll be OK."

She tried to think of something to do, something that would comfort both of them. What would her mother do?

Her mother. Of course!

She cleared her throat. "He estado solo, rodeado por la oscuridad. He visto cómo cruel puede ser el mundo. Te he visto llorar, pero nada es imposible. Yo siempre haré lo mejor para hacerte ver," she sang. It was the same song the robot had been singing just minutes ago.

"Bebé usted no está solo, porque tú estás aquí conmigo. Nada es nunca va a traernos abajo porque nada puede hacerme amar a ti, y tú sabes que es verdad. No importa lo que llegará a ser. Nuestro amor es todo lo que necesitamos para salir adelante."

Taz checked the sky, searching for any rescue that may be on its way. Nothing. She continued her song. "Ahora sé que no es fácil. Pero no es difícil de tratar, cada vez que te veo sonreír, y yo te siento tan cerca de mí. Y dime, que bebé usted no está solo, porque tú estás aquí conmigo. Nada es nunca va a traernos abajo porque nada puede hacerme amar a ti, y tú sabes que es verdad. No importa lo que llegará a ser. Nuestro amor es todo lo que necesitamos para salir adelante."

She could swear his lips twitched in the slightest of smiles. She herself smiled through her tears. "Todavía tengo problemas. Me tropiezo y tropiezo tratando de dar sentido a las cosas a veces. Busco razones, pero yo no los necesito. Todo lo que necesito es mirar en sus ojos. Y me doy cuenta. Bebé usted no está solo, porque tú estás aquí conmigo. Nada es nunca va a traernos abajo porque nada puede hacerme amar a ti, y tú sabes que es verdad. No importa lo que llegará a ser. Nuestro amor es todo lo que necesitamos para salir adelante."

She looked up at the slightest whirring of an approaching pod. She glanced down at Up once more as she finished her song. "Porque no importa lo que llegará a ser. Nuestro amor es todo lo que necesitamos para salir adelante."

"Lieutenant Taz?"

She looked around to see a man she had only before seen on a screen. She stood up. "Dr. Spaceclaw," she responded, too worried to give any snark.

Spaceclaw smiled sadly. "I came as soon as I heard. And because, of course, I have to congratulate the Ranger who saved us all!" He held out a medal. Taz took it from him.

"Por favor, sir." It took everything she had not to ask the question that was gnawing at her. But Spaceclaw wasn't stupid.

"You're wondering about Commander Up?" he asked. She straighted up immediately. Was she finally getting answers? It had been three weeks and all she knew was that he wasn't dead yet. "Well, you'll be pleased to know he is doing fine. His new robot half is working perfectly and he is quickly adjusting to-"

"Wait, what?" Taz snapped, interrupting him.

Spaceclaw looked honestly confused. "What's wrong, Lieutenant?"

She met his gaze sharply. "I just thought that jou said that, after all of the trouble we went through to wipe them out, and after this new injury because of them, jou put a _robot_ half onto Up?"

"Well, yes. Otherwise he would have died."

Taz clenched her fists. Poor Up. What had these idiotas done to him? "Can I see him?"

Spaceclaw looked at the ground. "Well, um, no. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but we just sent the Commander to a Rehabilitation Center. It will be quite a while till you can see him again."

"How long is 'a while?'"

"Two years."


	10. Chapter 10

Taz sat at the table, eating her dinner. She was at the Academy, teaching a combat class. At eighteen, she was the youngest teacher ever at the school. She had also kept her Lieutenant ranking, knowing that she wouldn't be with Up all the time once he started missions again if she too became a Commander.

A guy came up to her. "Hey, Taz!"

"What do jou want, Krayonder?" she sighed.

He kept that goofy grin on his face. "Spaceclaw wants you in the main office right now." Taz sighed and dropped her pizza. She stood up and began walking.

"Why are jou following me?" she asked.

"He wants me too." Great. Krayonder hadn't been promoted from Private status in the three years Taz had known him. Probably because he was lazy, snarky, crazy, annoying, and incompetent. Not to mention obnoxious.

Taz and Krayonder arrived in the main offices to see Spaceclaw on the screen. about a year previously he had been in an accident, and so he wore a full body uniform to cover up his scars. This was the Darth Vader Taz had been looking for the first time she met him. "Lieutenant Taz. Private Krayonder. Good," he said. He had become much more no nonsense since his accident as well. The easy-going man Taz had met was gone.

"What is it, sir?" she asked.

"You two are going to be part of a scouting on an uncharted planet. It is mostly just to see if the planet is inhabitable, but we don't know what might be there, so it is neccessary for us to send some good Rangers there too."

_And Krayonder_, Taz thought, but kept the comment to herself, trying to be serious.

"You leave tomorrow morning. Go to your rooms and prepare."

_"Distress signal! Distress signal! Starship Rangers assemble!"_ Taz looked up at the flashing red light. She smiled. Yes! She had been selected for a rescue mission. She grabbed the datapad from beside her bed and read through the mission.

She rolled her eyes. Why in the world would those idiotas send an idiota like February down there? And of course she'd be the one to call a distress signal. She probably just forgot how to tie her boots and decided it was an emergency.

Taz smiled, then sobered up. February wasn't _that _stupid. She knew when to call a distress signal. This had to be taken seriously.

Taz tied back her hair and walked out the door before realizing; she was called into this mission as a Lieutenant. She was Up's Lieutenant. She'd be working with Up!

She had known he was on the ship but hadn't had a chance to talk to him, as this was only thier second day out. She walked out to the platform where they'd be meeting and shouted to the group that she knew could hear her. "Alright people! Jou heard it! This is a rescue mission. Get jour zappers, set them to pew!" To enunciate her point she shot a few holes in the wall.

"Woah! Taz, you know you're pretty tough for a chick!" Great. Krayonder.

"I was just going to say the same thing about jou."

He smiled, unfazed. "Woah!"

"Specs!" she called, as she had noticed her dorky friends name when she'd skimmed the datapad.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Scan the surface of this planet. I want to know what's going on down there."

Specs pulled out a device. "I'll try, Lieutenant, but gamma storms are interfering with my equipment. My spectrometer readings are off the wazoo!"

Taz headed down the hallway to the Exit Platform when she heard a loud call from behind her.

"Hey! Excuse me, little girl, I'm new and I was just wonderin', what's this?" a guy said. He was pointing to his zapper.

"That's jour zapper."

"What's that?"

He was really trying her patience. "It's a gun, stupid! You shoot stuff with it!"

"Oh," he said. "That's not what I was usin' it for, sorry. You see, where I come from, Farm Planet, we don't have no much of nothin'. That's why I joined the Starship Rangers. You see, today alone I found out this was a gun! In I saw imperical proof that science killed God. It's comforting to know that he was once alive though. I like to think that when he died he went to Heaven!"

Taz had had enough. "Hey! Jou better get out of my face, esay. I'm prepping for a rescue mission."

"Oh, no, I know! I'm assigned to the rescue mission too! Hey, my name is Tootsie Noodles!" he said, still too cheerful for his own good. He grabbed her arm and spun her around, but she was too bewildered to shake his hand, not that she would either way.

"What the hell kind of name is that?"

"Well, you see, where I come from, Farm Planet, your first name is whacha do, and your second name is whacha like. So I'm called Tootsie, on account of my occasional toot, and Noodles, 'cause I like 'em. You see, where I come from-"

She cut him off again. "Callate! What am I supposed to do with jou? Jou know nothing!"

Taz began walking again, but Tootsie just followed her. "I'm willing to learn, sir! I should warn you though, I'm a slow learner!" She then heard him ask Krayonder, "Hey, what's this?" and saw him point yet again to his zapper.

"So," she began, "this is the rescue squad, eh? Ay, look at you! None of you have what it takes to serve under Commander Up!"

She smiled to herself as their faces morphed to shock and wonder.

"The Commander Up?" Tootsie said.

Specs, who hadn't really known him at the Academy as Taz had, spoke up. "The war hero! Nigh, legend!"

Taz continued to listen happily to thier compliments about up until Krayonder decided to open his big fat mouth.

"Yeah, well I heard he went soft." She froze. "Yeah, he used to be all that and a bag of Flavo-Fives but now, he's like a total wimp. Like the other day, he was in the cafeteria just crying in front of everybody!"

"Hey!" she shouted. "Jou got something to say about the Commander?"

Krayonder looked scared out of his mind, which gave her some satisfaction. "Um, no, no, um- Oh! I forgot! You guys fought in the robot wars together!"

Duh. "Yeah, Krayonder! Where he saved my life a hundred times!" Which wasn't even an exaggeration. He had saved her life countless times.

"Well, yeah!" Krayonder said, clearly trying to get back on what passed for her good side. "He was like a a super soldier!"

Taz hit her fist in her hand repeatedly. "What do jou mean _was_?"

"Uh, nothing, man, I just heard about his injury!" There was a collective gasp around the room from him and his two companions, Taz just glared at him. "I mean, his famous injury, that everyone knows about. You know the one the robots gave to him?" Of course she knew, she had been there. "Oh man, those robots must have really messed him up, because, I just like, heard this rumor going around that he might have maybe gone a little bit soft." He faltered on the last word, seeing her expression.

How much Taz wanted to kill him right now. Oh, how she wanted it. But she had a better idea.

"Put jour hand on that wall," she said.

Krayonder glanced at the wall then back at her. "What, why?"

"Put jour hand ON THAT WALL!" she snapped. He did as she said and she pulled out her knife with a satisfying _shink!_ She took her aim.

Krayonder finally realized what she was doing. "Wait, please don't throw a knife at my hand! Oh, quit messing around, man, that's not funny!"

Didn't he know she wasn't messing around? And it was plenty funny to her. "Oh, don't throw a knife?" she asked.

"Yeah, don't!" he cried.

Taz shrugged. "OK."

Krayonder let out a sigh of relief and stepped away from the wall, but she stepped towards him and plunged her knife in his back with a loud yell. Had he really thought it would be that easy to get her to let him go?

He let out a cry of pain, but she talked over it. "Jou listen to me now you little fart!" she yelled, unable to think of a better insult at the moment. "Up is the toughest son of a bitch I ever met in my life!"

"You stabbed me!"

"He eats- he eats eagles for breakfast. He sleep on a bed of fire! And when Up cuts an onion, the ONION is the one who cry!"

"I'm dying!" Krayonder moaned, but she ignored him.

"So jou better un-fudge jourself, or Up will unscrew jour head, and drop the wishing pennies down jour throat. Now take a walk off my knife!" He stepped of with a sickening squelch, groaning. "Aw," she said, feigning sympathy. "Aw, does that hurt jou? Aw, WALK IT OFF!" She then proceeded to repeatedly stab herself in the stomach. She felt nothing but the slightest prick where the blade sliced her skin.

_"Commander on deck!"_ came the voice over the intercom.

"Yeah, now file in," Taz ordered. "Jou better hope Up likes jour stupid faces, or he might just rip them off!"

The doors opened and Taz watched as the man she admired walked in.


	11. Chapter 11

"Alright, boys and girls," Up said. He looked around the room and ignored the quickening of his heart when he saw Taz. She looked at him, nodding in greeting. "I'm Commander Up."

On the outside he looked no different. He was the same old Up. But on the inside, he had lost his bloodlust, no matter how much he tried to want to kill, and that hole had been replaced with circuts and wires. But he tried not to show it. "I know you've all heard some no good, nasty, downright mean-spirited rumors about me floating around the ship." The fear in the groups eyes confirmed it. "And I bet you're all wondering to yourselves are they true?"

He got up in Krayonder's face, making the Private jump. "Well?! Go on! Ask me! Ask me right to my mug!" He smiled and pulled back. "That's right. You're afraid to ask me. 'Cause one look at this," he said, touching his face. "Is all you need to know there ain't a lick of truth to 'em! I do not peepee sitting down! I never did it, and the one time that maybe you heard about, it was because the gravity was on too high! So you try to peepee standing up when the gravity is on three times too high!"

Taz watched in horror. What the hell? He had been doing so good, scaring them, letting them know who's boss. But now he did this? And he was still going, not seeing the suppressed laughter on the team's faces. "I don't peepee sitting down! I pee pee like a big boy, dead God dammit! I pee pee like a big boy, so stop making fun of me, 'cause it hurts my feelings!"

_"Drop down in one minute!"_

Taz grabbed Up's arm. "Up, what are jou doing?!"

"Taz, you believe me, I pee pee like a big boy!"

She resisted the urge to smack her old friend. "Shut up! Jou're supposed to give them some speech to scare and inspire them! Remember, like in the old days, like, if jou don't go out there, and die for something, I will kill jou for nothing. Remember? Like, tough!"

He nodded and put his face in one hand for a second. "Yeah. Yeah, dammit. Alright," he said. He turned to Krayonder, Specs, and Tootsie. "Everybody, I goofed up. If you'd give me some of your patience, well, I'd like to try again. Give me one moment to regain my confidence, and I'll give you a speech that's scarier, than an apple in your candy basket on Halloween!"

Taz just sighed, but didn't say anything. Up reached in his pocket, muttering to himself, "Stupid son of a bitch." He pulled out a small mirror, before explaining. "Oh, the doctor at the Rehabilitation Center said that this is good for me." They all nodded and Up turned to his mirror and sighed. "You are a worthwhile person." What the hell? "When I look into your eyes, in the mirror, I get a pleasant feeling. You're not a failure, overall. You can laugh at yourself." He began chuckling, and the others joined in, still nervous. Suddenly, Up, caught his reflection again.

"Huh? Don't laugh at me you overall failure! Why, when I look into your eyes I get an unpleasant feeling! Oh, take this!" he jabbed the mirror with his finger, then clutched it to his chest, moaning. "Taz?" he asked, holding it out. "Is it bleeding?"

She gave him a look that sent a clear message that she though he'd lost it. "Jou didn't even break the glass."

Up's face fell. "Figures," he sighed. "Couldn't even break the glass." He began crying on her shoulder.

_"Drop down in five seconds!"_

She shoved him off. "Get it together!" she said, then began leading her team to the drop pod.


	12. Chapter 12

Just as they were about to board the drop pod a guy stepped in their way. Taz wanted to scream, the stupid idiota! Why couldn't they just leave already?

"Woah, hey there gang!" he said, smiling. He had brown hair and eyes, and he was very skinny. She wasn't sure if she liked him or not... "Thank dead God I caught you before drop down! I just wanted to get the chance to introduce myself. My name's Junior, maybe you've heard of me. Or my dad, he's the head of the whole Galactic League."

"Oh, I've heard of your dad!" Krayonder said.

"Yeah, I'm his son!" Junior said, stating the obvious.

Krayonder nodded. "Nice."

"I'm also this Starship's ambassador to the Galactic League," Junior continued. He looked around at all of them. "Uh-oh. I know what your thinking! Who's this ingant gringo trying to flex on my ship? But, rest assured, I'm not here to ruffle anybody's feathers! Quite the opposite, actually. I'm just here to watch you fly. And to make sure this mission is run according to Galactic League standards, but don't tell anybody, kay?" Taz wanted to strangle him. Acting as though he was everyone's friend and being so... cheery.

And still he kept going. "Guys, I needed the best for this mission. That's why I hand-picked each and every single one of you, just like I hand-picked February."

_"Drop down in one minute!"_

"So what are you waiting for guys, get down there!" Junior shouted before adding in a nicer tone, "And when you rescue February, tell her Junior sent you."

_"Drop down in twenty seconds!"_

"Oh, no wait!" Oh mi Dios muerta! Did this guy ever. Shut. Up? "One more thing, I forgot. Sorry. I've got something that's going to make your job down on that planet a whole heck of a lot easier! It's the most advanced piece of technology the Galactic League has to offer!" They all perked up a bit, curious. Junior approached the door. "Allow me to introduce you to the final member of your team. Megagirl!" And with that he hit the button, opening the door, revealing a female sillouhette.

"Please state a command for me to service you."

Taz grabbed her gun from her back and had it aimed in seconds. Why would they have one of those here? Hadn't the wars taught them anything?

"It's a- a- a- a ROBOT!" Up yelled, ducking behind her. She wanted to yell at him for being a wimp, but at the same time understood why he of all people would run and hide.

"Wow, she's shiny!" Tootsie said. Was he really that dumb that that was all he could process?

Taz looked at Junior, who was smiling smugly. "Are jou loco, esay? What are jou thinking, bringing a robot on board?" she snapped.

"Now, I know the Robot Wars have left us all a little bit touchy, OK, but I believe that considering the billions of people who died to regain control of the robots, well, it's an insult to their memory not to use them as our unwilling slaves!"

Taz almost laughed. What did he know of losing people to the robots? Where did he find the right to talk about what would be an insult to thier memory?

"Robots can't be trusted, mate! Jou know what the first thing a robot ever did, kill it's creator. Then he made more evil robots!" she said, not backing down.

"All hail Astroboy!" Megagirl said, raising a fist in the air, stirring up another collective gasp.

"Yes, yes," Junior said, "but trust me, evil killing won't be a problem with Megagirl. Watch, Megagirl, can you kill humans?"

Megagirl stood there, eerily still. "No." Everyone relaxed, until she turned her head in Taz's direction. "But I'd like to." That caused everyone to raise their zappers again.

"See, nothing to worry about!" Junior said. "Unlike the robots we fought in the war Megagirl comes equipped with an inhibitor chip." He spun her around and pointed to the back of her neck. "Her behaivioral programs make it physically impossible for her to harm or kill humans. Animals are fair game though, so a few ground rules, no one ever wears fur, no one is a chicken, and nothing came from the horse's mouth!"

"A horse ate my cousin!" Tootsie suddenly shouted. Everyone stared at him. "Me and horses got a feud." Krayonder and Specs let out an unneccessary gasp until Tootsie smiled and giggled a bit.

Taz stepped forward. "Jou know, in my life, I've done some things I said I'd never do. But one thing I said I'd _never_ do is work with a robot! They kill billions! They ruled earth with thier fists made of iron for a hundred years. And Up..." She gestured to her old friend.

Junior got a shocked expression. "Oh. Oh, no, I completely forgot! Commander Up, his- his famous injury, it's because of a robot, wasn't it? Well, color me embarrassed-"

"Junior," Taz interuppted. "Jou can pack her up, 'cause she's not a part of this rescue mission."

"Oh, uh-oh. Uh-oh, you guys. I already told my dad, he's the head of the whole Galactic League, that I sent Megagirl down to the planet already! He was getting on me about how I hadn't started the rescue mission yet, you guys, so, she has to go."

"If she's going, I'm not."

Junior clearly had no intention of letting her back out though. "Oh, God, this sucks for me because I, like, want to be your friend, but as the ambassador I'm also your boss too, so, how do I say this? You have to?" He put up his hands defensively and had a slightly scared expression.

Megagirl turned and walked over to them. Taz raised her zapper higher. "Looks like you and I will be fast friends. Try to get my good side when I rescue the science officer." She did a small pose that just angered Taz. "That was a joke, because my design is mathematically perfect and symmetrical."

"Jou better watch jour back, Tin Can!" Taz warned. But Megagirl just smiled slightly.

"I have radar sensors that do that for me," she said, turning away. Junior took a picture for some unknown reason.

"What a relief to see you guys are getting along so well already!" he said. He was such an idiota. Megagirl made an 'I'm watching you' gesture and Taz glared. "But, you know what, um, you guys actually all should get going, 'cause I told my dad you left fifteen minutes ago! Sorry guys, that one's my fault!"

They all started leaving, but Taz saw Up trying to sneak away.

"Hey. Up, hey!" she said. "What are jou doing?"

Up grunted. "Oh, OK!" he said, hand slipping off the bar he'd been using to resist her pulling him away. "You know, why don't you just go on without me this time? Well, I'm feeling a bit like a wet blanket nowadays." What? No! Taz couldn't stand the depressed look on his face.

She knew what she had to do. "Hey," she said. "Mirame." He looked at her, and she promptly slapped him across the face before grabbing the strap on his uniform and pulling him closer. "Now, escúchame!" she yelled. "Jou are the toughest son of a bitch I ever met in my life! Do you remember, when we met, at my quincenera and jou saved me from those killer robots who tried to string me up like a piniata and smash me open so they could eat my guts?" The memory was painful, but effective.

Up nodded. "I destroyed them."

"That was tough. Or that time, that those bullies were picking on me, 'cause I so little, and I like to read?" This had happened about a week into her attendance at the Academy, before she'd made a reputation. "And I crawl on your back and we chased them into the dumpster! And they looked like a bunch of chilis? That was tough! Or that time, you taught me calculus." She didn't know why she brought that up, but she was desperate. "Calculus was tough!"

Up didn't seem to notice how estupido the last memory was. "Yeah, I know, Taz, I know. But, I- but that was before my injury. That was before the robots."

"No!" Taz said. "No. It's been two years since your injury. It's time you move on! You taught me something once," she continued, walking slightly away from him. "That no matter how hard you get knocked down you always got to get back up! So, now it's your turn! Get back up!"

She did the only thing she could think of then, her last resort.

She began singing.

"You say you've lost your edge,

I say it's all in your head,

So, listen, Up, I gotta message for you."

While she sang she grabbed his hands and then said, "And now we dance!" before continuing.

"You've got something of a dry spell,

but you taught me everything that I know,

so why not let me teach a thing or two?"

She spun out, then in, only half paying attention to the dance, making up the words as she went along. She pointed at him, still rolled up in his arms.

"You're a total badass

at the top of your class,

now your telling me your having doubts?"

He was shaking his head, not believing her, so she spun out, somewhat reluctantly, and faced him.

"But I'm not about to let

a Ranger forget

what being a Ranger's all about!"

She draped her arm backwards over his shoulder then stepped away. She heard the others step in behind her, and was relieved, but kind of wierded out, when they joined her dancing. Random...

"We're here to get the job done!

Doesn't matter if it's tough or it's fun,

we don't hide and we don't run away!

'Cause, we're here to get the job done,

we do it better than anyone,

and if we ever feel like we've gone astray-"

She had begun with a simple square, clapping motion, then progressed to a simple step, now she moved to step side to side, snapping, hoping the others could keep up.

"Then we've got to get up, got to get back, get back up!

So, we've got to get up, got to get back. Get back up!"

She ran over to Up, who'd fallen to his knees, hiding his face. She decided to slow down a bit.

"I know you've seen the rough time,

hell, I see this, too,

but I ain't seen anyone face 'em half as well as you."

Taz pulled him to his feet.

"This is no time to worry.

This is no time for fuss.

I know just how great you are and I think I speak for all of us!"

She turned to the others and glared. "OK, idiotas. Say something nice, or I will kill you!"

This definitely shaped them up. "You're the coolest dude around!" Specs yelled, covering her ears.

Tootsie piped up, "You've never let me down!" You know, in the whole five minutes they had known each other.

Taz turned to Up. "Take a good look in the mirror!" she sang, before pointing at Krayonder while Up pulled out his mirror.

"Uh, you're an awesome guy!"

"And the reason why," Taz sang, gesturing for the others to join her, which they did, "every one of us is here!"

Up started singing, which felt like a weight off of Taz's shoulders. She didn't hear what he was singing, but it sounded happy and confident, which was all that mattered. She stepped forward, ready to finish it up.

"We're here to get the job done,

doesn't matter small or a ton,

when we're down and there's nothing we can do,

then we gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!"

"I gotta get up, gotta get back get back, up," Up sang before the others joined again.

"We gotta get up gotta get back get back up!

We gotta get up gotta get back! Get back!

Get back up!"

They finished on their knees, hands towards Up, all breathing heavily. Taz stood up and walked towards her old friend, putting her hand on his shoulder. "So, Up, are jou ready to go?"

He nodded, a smile on his face. "Yes, Taz. Yes."

She felt a bubble of happiness inside of her, swelling larger and larger as they strapped into the drop pod.

No matter what happened, no matter what pain they faced, they'd get were best friends. Maybe, someday, something more. But for now, Taz was content with this.

But she didn't know what would happen down on that planet. She didn't know how her hero would fall, how a bright, burning light in her heart would extinguish.

All she knew right now was that they had begun to get back Up.

**AN: Hey, guys, so, that is the end of UBU! Hope you enjoyed. If you did, check out the sequel, Tears of a Ranger!**


End file.
